Mr. Seward to Mr. Corwin.
Sir: Your despatch of September 28 (No. 33) has been received. It is earnestly to be hoped that the war of France against Mexico may last no longer and have a conclusion no more unfavorable to Mexico than you anticipate.
The present military situation here may be described in a few words. Our spring campaign, so fruitful in victories, closed with reverses in the last weeks of July. An insurgent invasion of the loyal States began with successes in August and was arrested in September. Our armies are now renewed, our naval force increasing, and a decisive campaign will soon be opened. The insurgents excited in European capitals the most sanguine hopes of the success of their campaign of invasion, promising nothing less than the capture and capitulation of Washington, with the occupation of Cincinnati, Louisville, New Orleans, Baltimore, and Philadelpaia. They built high hopes of recognition upon this magnificent, though precarious, foundation. From Europe we hear little that is definite, but there is manifestly some difficulty there in digesting disappointments. The abuses of the neutrality proclaimed by the government, which are daily committed by British subjects in British ports and on the high seas, have become not merely annoying, but deeply injurious. We are doing everything possible to prevent a ripening of these disturbances into a war upon the ocean, which would probably leave no nation free from its desolating effects.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Thomas Corwin, Esq., &C., &C., &C., Mexico